


the rain my hard heart welcomes

by enchantressofyggdrasil



Series: intoxicating [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Explicit Consent, Getting Together, M/M, Making Out, Porn with Feelings, essek is kind of a crybaby, mighty nein only briefly mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:47:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26328115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enchantressofyggdrasil/pseuds/enchantressofyggdrasil
Summary: “May I come in? I’m sorry for the late hour, but you were on my mind.”Essek stood in stunned silence at the threshold of his front door, clad in his nightrobe, the hour nearing midnight, and confronted with a casually-dressed Caleb smiling at him with warm but pleading eyes.Caleb visits Essek to clear some things up. A follow-up to a previous fic.
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Series: intoxicating [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907938
Comments: 15
Kudos: 177





	the rain my hard heart welcomes

**Author's Note:**

> title is from a poem by Pablo Neruda
> 
> this is my first time writing smut so just bear with me <3

“May I come in? I’m sorry for the late hour, but you were on my mind.”

Essek stood in stunned silence at the threshold of his front door, clad in his nightrobe, the hour nearing midnight, and confronted with a casually-dressed Caleb smiling at him with warm but pleading eyes. 

If Essek was a stronger man, he might have politely refused him for the night, telling him to return tomorrow at a more appropriate time, so they both could get their rest. But Essek was not a strong man when it came to Caleb. Not only did he feel physically weaker around him, with trembling hands and unsteady legs, but it was as if when speaking to him, every wall that he constructed around his feelings for years promptly turned to ash, and Essek desperately tried to rebuild them after Caleb left. At the moment, his walls were shoddy and crumbling, full of holes, with little time to strengthen after seeing the Mighty Nein and Caleb himself the day before. There was little resistance. 

“I … uh, I … of course.” Essek cleared his throat. “You’re welcome to.”

Caleb stepped into the foyer with a small dip of his head in gratitude. Essek noticed that although Caleb did not brush against him when he passed, he was so close that Essek felt a faint spark of static between them from his own movements along the carpet.

“What can I do for you, Caleb?” Essek asked quietly as he shut the door. He tried unsuccessfully to not meet Caleb’s intense gaze.

“Why do you assume that I need something from you?” When Essek stayed quiet, averting his eyes sheepishly, Caleb continued. “No, I—I suppose I wanted to apologise.”

“Apologise?” Essek couldn’t think of anything that Caleb could’ve done to him that he wouldn’t have deserved. 

“Yes, for the other evening.” Caleb’s eyebrows flicked upward very slightly, perhaps in surprise.

Essek was immediately thrown back into his memory of fervently kissing Caleb on his living chair, the event giving him more adrenaline than any dunamantic experiment ever had, and the painful tension in his chest when Caleb had left.

“I see.”

“I only realised later how it must have seemed when I left,” Caleb admitted. “And I didn’t mean—well, I-I hadn’t _considered_ —!”

“Caleb, I’m afraid I don’t understand _why_ you’re apologising for that.” Essek held up his hand to interrupt him. 

Caleb’s brows cinched together. “I—what do you mean, Essek?”

“I simply mean you don’t _need_ to apologise; you did nothing wrong,” Essek continued. Although he knew that to be true, it still felt like splinters in his throat coming out. “I get it. You realised you made a mistake and left before things … escalated.” His chest felt very tight all of a sudden.

Caleb was silent for a long moment, and Essek could just about hear the thoughts running along the contours of his mind. Finally, Caleb licked his lips and cleared his throat. “You think I made a mistake.” 

The tone of his voice was somewhere between a statement and a question. Essek didn’t want to spend time vehemently convincing Caleb that he made the right decision, that Essek didn’t feel negatively toward him for leaving him alone, and that Essek was _certainly_ not interested in any further interactions of that sort, and that Caleb’s brief mistake with a traitor was water under the bridge and no one else would need to know of it. But Essek spoke anyway, a nervous lilt in his voice. “Of course, and I know the wine didn’t help. And the atmosphere was … tense. An easy trap to fall into. No, I … i-if anything, _I_ should be apologising to you, for any shame I contributed to you—!”

“ _Shame_?” Caleb exclaimed. He made a small noise that sounded like a scoff, or maybe a laugh. “What the hell are you talking about, Essek?” He strode right up to Essek, who braced himself. Caleb grasped Essek’s hands firmly, but not unkindly, and Essek immediately averted his eyes. “Do you really think that I feel _ashamed_ for … for kissing you that evening?”

 _Gods_ , having Caleb be the closest he’s been since their evening of wine … he felt a tingle start at his fingers where Caleb was holding them, a bubbling along his veins like champagne, and run up and down along his body, warming the parts of his skin that were exposed to the chill air of the hallway. It triggered a deep, shuddered sigh in his chest that he just _knew_ sounded desperate. What was Caleb doing? Was he being genuine? 

“Why wouldn’t you?” Essek closed his eyes, his voice barely audible even to himself. “I am not a good man; you and I both know this. It isn’t worth it to betray what goodness you stand for for … for someone like me.” He opened to eyes to risk a glance at Caleb’s face. Essek’s throat constricted at the soft expression that he wore.

Caleb mouthed the word _oh_. His grip on Essek’s fingers loosened, perhaps even enough for Essek to drop his hands back to his side, but he did not want to relinquish the feeling of Caleb’s touch just yet. It very well could be the first and only time he would ever hold Caleb’s hands.

“Well, I’m not going to stand here and try to convince you that I don’t see you as a villain here,” Caleb murmured. He paused, taking a deep breath. Essek waited, holding his own breath. “But I _am_ going to explain myself for that evening. I came here partly to apologise, not because I’m sorry for kissing you, but because I’m sorry I left.”

Essek still held his breath.

“I know you want to claim that the wine spurred me on, but I had barely drank anything. Essek, I _wanted_ to kiss you.” His cheeks began to redden. “I figured you would’ve gotten the hint when I climbed in your lap.”

Essek breathed. His heartbeat sped up.

“You … overwhelmed me. I—I haven’t felt such emotion like that over someone in years. _Years_ , Essek.” Caleb paused again, likely to control his breathing. Essek could hear it getting shakier. “I wanted to run away. Wouldn’t that have been even crueler of me? Not that I gave you an explanation anyway. I was _so_ nervous, Essek. But I’m here again, and if you asked me to stay … I would.”

Essek squeezed his eyes shut so hard that it hurt. He couldn’t dare give hope to the idea that Caleb had wanted to kiss him, _longed_ for it, even. That the reason he left Essek alone in that chair was because Caleb was nervous, and not in an attempt to humiliate him. He couldn’t bear that to be the truth, because that would mean that Essek could possibly _mean_ something to Caleb. 

And _that_ would be a catastrophe.

It would break the dam of conflictions that Essek had built to protect Caleb and the Mighty Nein. For any of them to be close with Essek, it put them in physical danger due to the highly dangerous individuals Essek conspired with. For _Caleb_ to be close with Essek, it put Caleb’s relationship with his friends in danger. At this point, Essek assumed that all of them besides perhaps Jester would like to see Essek hanged. If Caleb’s feelings were true … would the Mighty Nein make him choose? _Him or us._

“Caleb …” Essek hissed out, knowing all too well if he spoke any louder there would be tears. “You … shouldn’t … stay.” Each word took all his effort to say, and even then he said it half-heartedly.

“I didn’t think you cared about what we should or shouldn’t do,” Caleb replied, a half-smile on his face.

Essek didn’t have a response to that. He didn’t care if the Mighty Nein hated him for having feelings for Caleb; no matter what he did they would hate him. But he didn’t want Caleb to be in trouble with his friends for having feelings for Essek. Essek deserved it; Caleb didn’t. 

Caleb’s grip on his hands tightened again. “Well, I came here for two things: one, to apologise and hope you can forgive me, and two—”

“Your scarf?” Essek suggested.

“My—what?”

“Your scarf,” Essek repeated, still hushed. “You left it here. I-I would’ve returned it, but …” He trailed off when Caleb covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

“Gods, Essek,” Caleb chuckled, muffled. “No, I’m not here for my scarf.” With one hand he grasped the front of Essek’s nightrobe almost aggressively, and the other he laid against his neck, warming the parts of the skin that were already hot. Essek’s heartbeat was pounding in his throat and he could feel his jugular thumping against Caleb’s palm. “No, I mean to kiss you properly this time.” 

Caleb’s eyes met Essek’s briefly, and then he pulled Essek down toward his face. And waited.

Essek almost felt angry, that Caleb had built up all this tension and now was just teasing him, ready to leave again, before realising that Caleb was just waiting for him to close the gap. Essek inhaled sharply, breathing in the warm air between them, and leaned down into Caleb’s mouth.

This may not have been their first kiss but to Essek it felt realer than ever. If he opened his eyes he would see Caleb there, kissing him back, and he did. Amidst Caleb’s mouth moving against his, he peeked open an eye. Caleb was solid and real and against him and turning pink in the face and Essek hands gripped the curve of his back and held on because life was dear to him in this moment. Caleb’s life was dear to him.

Essek felt Caleb’s hands release him and his arms wrapped around his neck instead, weighing on him enough to arch against his body. Essek gasped into Caleb’s cheek before their mouths crashed together again. 

Essek was just wearing his thin nightrobe, and Caleb’s embrace and body against him made him hyperaware of his own body’s response. It wouldn’t be long before he couldn’t hide how turned on he was. Essek broke from Caleb’s lips for just a moment, burying his face against Caleb’s throat so his soft, longing groan was lost in Caleb’s skin. Caleb exhaled, long and slow, and then laughed. It was quiet and short, but Essek knew he was laughing at him.

Caleb eased his arms’ grip on Essek’s neck and leaned back, just in the shoulders, so his hips were still flush with Essek’s. In his effort to seem not so aroused, Essek clenched his teeth together so hard he thought they might crack.

Caleb brushed his fingertips along Essek’s tense jaw, the corners of his mouth twitching. “Relax, Essek,” he said. “You look almost frightened.”

“Only of you leaving again,” Essek responded, his voice cracking with emotion and arousal.

Caleb’s thumbs ran along Essek’s jawline, smoothing out the tension there. Each time the pad of his thumb gently grazed the skin underneath the jaw it sent a full-body shiver through Essek. 

“As long as you’ll have me, I’m here.” 

Essek sighed, the sigh filling his gut with a warm, coiling feeling. “Are you certain you don’t want your scarf?”

Caleb scoffed. He traced the edges of Essek’s robe that formed his neckline. “I’ll fetch it in the morning.” His eyes were black with pupil.

“In the—?” Essek’s words were cut short with a tense gasp as Caleb suddenly mouthed at the base of his throat.

The force of Caleb’s kisses bumped Essek against the hallway wall, not hard, but enough to where that coiling heat in Essek’s core tightened immensely. He dropped his head back against the wall, exposing more of his neck for Caleb. As if waiting for the opportunity, Caleb streaked his lips against the whole of his neck, speckling small kisses here and there and sucking bruises into his skin. One of Caleb’s hands that had been stroking the neckline of the robe slipped under the thin fabric and scraped fingernails against ribs. Caleb’s other hand mirrored that on the other side, the top of Essek’s nightrobe opening further, the neckline plunging deeper.

Essek’s heart rabbitted against the inside of his chest, painfully so, ready to tear him apart. He felt a hot hand palm his chest, grazing against his nipple. His breath caught in his throat. “Caleb …” he groaned. Caleb made a smug noise against his collarbone, and he felt the sound reverberate through his spine. 

A warm pool of arousal rose around Essek. He was losing himself in it; Caleb close enough to definitely feel how hard he was, but subdued enough that he didn’t give Essek any friction. There was only the pleasant heat spreading from his pelvis to his fingers and toes. But just like stepping out of a warm bath and into the cold air, Essek inhaled loudly as Caleb’s fingers worried at the front of his robe, loosening the tie there. The chill air of the hallway immediately sent goosebumps racing along his waistline. Essek grabbed at Caleb’s hands with his own trembling ones, stilling them.

“Wait,” he rasped.

Caleb leaned away in an instant. His eyes were still dark and open, but lined with concern now. His lips were swollen and wet from his attention to Essek’s neck. “I’m sorry—” he started to say, pulling his hands away, but Essek stopped him.

“No, no, it’s—it’s fine, I—” Essek’s voice gave out, and he cleared his throat. “No, I want … I-If you’re going to undress me, I’d rather not be here in the hall; it’s freezing.” He let out a weak laugh, his knees shaking against Caleb. 

Caleb relaxed, and returned the laugh. He instead tightened the front of Essek’s robe and patted the exposed part of his chest. “Where would you rather be?” 

“Uh.” Essek tried to catch his breath. “F-follow me.” He held Caleb’s hand and led him toward the stairs, stumbling a little on the way. He was so hard that walking was uncomfortable, especially up the stairs, but it was funny, the idea that Caleb could unspool him like this. He shook with quiet, nervous laughter and Caleb squeezed his hand.

They made it a bit clumsily to his bedroom, and Essek felt more and more lightheaded as they went, but Caleb never let go, even when he began to kick off his boots. The room was dark when they entered but Essek flicked his hand and lit a single lamp on the nightstand, bathing the room in muted white and revealing more of the red, flushed bits on Caleb’s face. Essek sat on the edge of his bed to give his wobbling legs a break.

Caleb panned his eyes around the room and smiled. His hand traced a line on the purple wood bookshelf by the door. “Surprised this is the first time I’m seeing your bedroom.” 

“I never expected you would ever be here, even under more modest circumstances,” Essek breathed.

Caleb blinked at him slowly. He approached where he sat on the bed and cupped Essek’s face in his hands. His hands were warm and steady and real on his cheeks. A wave of affection overwhelmed Essek, cresting over his eyes, and his closed them quickly before it could make him weep. He felt thumbs sweep across his cheekbones, wiping tears that made it out early enough.

“Are you alright?” said Caleb’s voice, only lightly tinged with concern. It was mostly full of a fondness that Essek only dreamed could be directed at him.

“I’m sorry,” Essek whispered. “I just … I need a moment.”

“I understand.”

Essek thought of Caleb’s eyes when he first taught him spells. The way he stared was intense and curious, and not just about the magic. He thought about his last shared glance with Caleb after their dinner. How close their hands had been walking home, and how the urge to kiss him goodnight had almost overtaken him. He thought of the ache in his heart when Caleb learned of his betrayal, but how Caleb hadn’t condemned him despite everything saying he should’ve.

Essek opened his eyes, blinking away the blurriness. Caleb still stood in front of him. He was still here.

Caleb chuckled. “When I showed up, I hadn’t—that is to say, I didn’t prepare … well, I didn’t _plan_ —”

“No, neither did I.”

“We don’t _have_ to do anything.”

“No.”

“But I—I do just want … to touch you, Essek. I want to feel you. Even if—!”

Caleb’s words sent something hot twist in Essek’s chest, and in a short burst of adrenaline, he scooped Caleb up, gripping his arms under his ass, and climbed backward onto the bed. Properly this time, with Caleb straddling his lap. 

“Mmm, Essek,” Caleb hummed, pressing his lips to Essek’s forehead. “Didn’t think you had that in you.”

“Probably wouldn’t have if I didn’t … if I didn’t want you so bad.” 

Caleb hummed again, wriggling a bit in Essek’s lap, providing more friction than had been given in their moment downstairs. Essek sucked in a breath through his teeth. 

“Help me with my shirt.” Caleb voice was wet against his ear. Essek’s hands shook but they were so sure in lifting the shirt’s hem and relishing the the soft hair that curled along Caleb’s belly.

The more of Caleb’s splotchy pink skin that was revealed, the deeper each of Essek’s breaths were. Each breath felt so hot and so full in his chest that he wasn’t sure if his lungs could contain it.

As Caleb rolled his arm out of his sleeve, now bare from the waist up, Essek saw a glint in his eye. His pupils black, full stones against blue. “Essek, you said you never expected to have me in your bedroom.”

Essek nodded, his voice stolen briefly as Caleb clenched his thighs around his own.

“But did you ever imagine me here?”

“Yes.”

“How often?”

Essek’s skin burned with want. “All the time.”

Caleb took one of Essek’s hands and guided it to his trouser laces. “And after I left that evening? What did you do?”

Essek stifled a whine. His fingers were lost in the laces as he remembered downing the rest of one of the wine bottles and stroking himself to completion. Messy. Embarrassing.

“You touched yourself?” Caleb’s hands moved to Essek’s chest, squeezing and massaging the area around his nipples, pressing into the spot over his heart. Essek was sure Caleb could feel every thump against his palm.

“ _Yes_.”

Caleb pushed Essek, not hard, but with enough force that let Essek know he wanted him to lay flat. Essek obliged. “And did you think of me when you came?”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Essek hissed, louder than he meant to. “Yes, _yes_.”

Caleb’s weight slipped from his lap and Essek grunted in protest, propping himself on his elbows. Caleb stood at the edge of the bed where Essek’s legs dangled. He did not break eye contact with Essek as he finished undoing the laces on his trousers and dropping them to the floor, leaving him in just his smallclothes, which already had a growing wet spot. When Caleb began to fuss with the waistband, Essek felt dizzy, and flopped his head back. His eyes crossed and only cleared when warm thighs pressed against his knees. He lifted his head to see Caleb leaning over him, hands on either side of Essek’s waist on the bed. Just over the curve of his knees he could see Caleb’s flushed cock, slick and wet at the end. Essek tried to say something, anything, but his mouth just limpy hung open.

Caleb’s hands moved to the tie on the nightrobe. “Your turn. Good?”

“G-good,” Essek choked.

His robe wasn’t tight, but even so, the freedom of his erection from the thin fabric buzzed through him, his skin prickling. He finally let himself moan shamelessly.

“Gods, that’s good, _ja_?” Caleb laughed and settled himself into Essek’s lap again.

The hot weight of Caleb’s cock against his own was just this side of unbearable. Like being struck by lightning. Essek hadn’t been touched like this for such a long time. He bucked into Caleb, who grabbed Essek’s forearms to keep balance.

“Essek, Essek,” Caleb soothed in between chuckles. “Easy. Here, sit up. With me.”

Essek pulled himself upright by holding onto Caleb’s ass. _Wow_ , it felt nice in his hands. Soft and smooth and small. Essek latched his mouth right above Caleb’s collarbone and squeezed with his hands. He felt a growl in the back of his throat curl against reddened skin.

“That’s it, just like that,” Caleb murmured in his ear. His voice was full and tense with arousal, and it did not surprise Essek when Caleb’s fingers just delicately brushed the head of Essek’s cock. “Can I touch you like this?”

“If you _don’t_ I might just lose my mind,” Essek groaned fiercely against his throat. He felt a syrup of satisfaction fill his gut when he felt the flutter of Caleb’s pulse. Fast and eager.

Caleb made a pleasured noise and gripped a hand around both of their erections, movement easy and smooth from their combined wetness. Essek continued to bruise against his neck, tasting salt, Caleb, and his own arousal on the back of his tongue. He felt joined to Caleb by their skin, their desire, their grief. 

Caleb twisted his wrist just so that Essek felt a jolt of anticipation through his spine. Reflexively, his pelvis twitched, and he bit his fangs into Caleb’s shoulder a bit harder than he meant to. Caleb cried out, and Essek pulled away, afraid he had hurt him. Or, he tried to, because Caleb’s hand caught the back of Essek’s head and pressed him back into place.

“Just-just like that, Essek, _please_ ,” Caleb gasped.

Essek felt dazed. Caleb _liked_ that? He bit down again, not as hard this time, but increased the pressure based on how high Caleb’s voice got. He swiped a tongue across the marks, sending a shudder through Caleb’s skin. He scraped his teeth against his throat, teasing, and watched in pride as Caleb arched his back and neck against him. The rhythm of his hand stuttered, but he huffed and picked up speed again. Arousal thudded at the base of Essek’s groin, but it looked like Caleb was closer than he was.

“Caleb …?” Essek angled to look at him. Caleb rocked against Essek, still working his hand, his eyes heavy and half-closed. His hair a messy flame, escaping from his ponytail. The flush of red in his face and neck was a wildfire spreading quickly down his chest and stomach. His burning eyes met Essek’s. He surged forward in a kiss that was the least graceful out of all of theirs so far. His breath heaved into Essek’s mouth, heady and thick.

Essek gave Caleb’s ass another hard, pulling squeeze, catching his bottom lip onto one of his fangs simultaneously, and Caleb came hard in a shout that ended with Essek’s name. The sudden splash of warmth against Essek’s chest combined with Caleb’s moans nearly sent Essek spilling over the edge himself. He grit his teeth and fought back the coiling heat in his hips. Not yet.

Caleb fell limply forward into Essek’s chest, and Essek slid his hands up to his back, holding him still as he trembled from the high of his orgasm. The lack of movement and Caleb lying boneless in his arms sent the quivering hint of his own orgasm back into a pleasant, simmering warmth.

Caleb straightened up in his lap and let out a long, pleased sigh. He cupped Essek’s cheek with his dry hand. “Sorry about the mess.” He looked down between them. “You didn’t come yet?”

“It’s fine, you’re fine.” _You’re perfect._ “And no, I-I wanted to try something … if that’s okay with you?”

The red flush that extended along Caleb’s torso and thighs was fading, but at Essek’s words suddenly deepened, showing off the lurid colours of his bite marks and other spots that Essek had ravaged with his mouth. Caleb licked his lips.

“Of course, what do you want to try?”

“Uh.” Essek swallowed hard. His hand moved along the smooth curve of his ass one more time. “Lie … lie down. On your belly.

Caleb raised an eyebrow, curiosity blooming across his face.

Heat flared on Essek’s neck. “I want to see your ass.”

Caleb made a smug noise and climbed around Essek to the center of the bed. He lowered himself flat, propping just up on his elbows, and glanced shyly over his shoulder. “This what you meant?”

Essek couldn’t suppress the low groan that originated from the bottom of his gut. Caleb’s ass was much paler than the rest of him, and not particularly muscled or big, but was soft and felt right in Essek’s hands when he had cupped it. There were two moles on his left cheek, like a dark spider bite, and Essek ran his thumb along their bump, afterwards leaning down to kiss them.

Caleb laughed. “What are you doing back there?”

“You’re just … cute.” He swiped at some of the the slick left over from Caleb on his stomach, working his hand against his cock, which was still leaking heavily from lack of release. His breathing hitched in his throat, and with his other hand he traced two fingers from Caleb’s tailbone to just before his entrance, pushing aside his cheeks.

Caleb squirmed at his touch. He turned his neck a bit further. “Were you wanting to …?”

“No, I—gods, I just want to f-fuck against you,” Essek stammered.

Caleb didn’t say anything, but he lifted his hips just enough that his cheeks spread, welcoming Essek to rut against him. With a grunt, Essek fell forward, holding himself up with his hands on either side of Caleb’s back. He fit so completely in between Caleb’s cheeks; it made his head spin. Essek twitched his hips in an awkward and somewhat sloppy manner, but it did the job. He was so wet already. Caleb flexed his ass, teasing.

From this angle Essek could see where Caleb’s ponytail was messy and pulling apart at his neck, and streaked through much of the underside of red and auburn was silvery-grey. Still grinding against Caleb’s ass but curiosity overcoming him, he leaned down onto an elbow, shadowing Caleb’s back. One hand thumbed at the grey spots against his scalp, and Caleb shivered.

“Playing with my hair now?” Caleb didn’t turn his head, but arched against Essek, causing him to keen. 

“You’re … you’re just grey here,” Essek panted. “I didn’t know.”

“A hard life.” Caleb chuckled. “For you as well, I imagine. Look, you’ve gone all white.”

Essek laughed shakily, his arms unable to hold himself up. The laughter buzzed through him, down his spine and straight to his groin. The way Caleb could give him this much joy filled his throat like a hot drink, and he was abruptly dazzled, his vision starring. He dropped his forehead to Caleb’s shoulder blade and shook against his climax. He felt more than heard Caleb’s calm encouragements.

When the sound of blood rushing in his ears faded, he heard Caleb finally, a smile in his voice. “Did you just laugh so hard you came?”

Essek didn’t lift his head from Caleb’s shoulders. A few teardrops smeared against his skin, coming from laughter, emotion, grief … _love_. “I haven’t had a good laugh in so long,” Essek said between heavy breaths. “Thank you.”

“I’m glad for you.” A pause. “Can you stand?”

“Yes, yes, I’ll …” Essek pushed off of the bed and stood upright, swaying a bit. “Don’t move, though. I-I’ll clean us up.”

Essek hurried to the joined washroom to wet a clean rag with cool water. He wiped his stomach down on the way back, and then gently rubbed along Caleb’s back, being particularly careful along the crease of his ass where he was sensitive from Essek’s movements.

Caleb adjusted his position so he could look at Essek without craning his neck. He remained quiet as Essek worked, before murmuring, “You probably could have used a cantrip to deal with the mess.”

“I could have.” Essek brushed his hand across Caleb’s ass before hanging up the rag.

Caleb hummed, contented, and flipped onto his back, gesturing at Essek. Essek clambered next to him and gripped his back in a longing hug. Caleb cradled his neck in his palms.

“You look really good like this.”

Essek looked down at himself. His skin was cooling down by now, but his chest was still darkly flushed with a black-purple colour, causing his freckles to stand out stark white-grey. 

“Did you mean what you said?” he blurted out. “About … staying the night?”

“Of course.” Caleb ran a hand through Essek’s likely messy hair. “Do you want me to?”

“Please.” Essek couldn’t bear the thought of spending another night alone, now that Caleb was here with him. It might kill him.

“Then I’m here.”

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on twitter @michealachaos


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